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THEORY OF MACHINES-II

LESSON 13:
EFFECT OF GYROSCOPIC COUPLE

I hope you might have understood the meaning of gyroscopic this couple is, therefore, to raise the nose and dip the tail of
couple & precissional motion the aeroplane.
So let us discuss the effects of gyroscopic couple. We must
proceed with its effect on aero plane first.
Effect of the Gyroscopic Couple on an
Aeroplane
The top and front view of an aeroplane are shown in Fig. a., Let
the engine or propeller
Rotates in the clockwise direction when seen from the rear or tail
end and the aeroplane takes a turn to the left.
Let ω = Angular velocity of the engine in rad/s,
m = Mass of the engine and the propeller in kg,
k = Its radius of gyration in meters,
I = Mass moment of inertia of the engine and the
propeller in kg-m 2 = m.k 2,
v = Linear velocity of the aeroplane in m/s,
Note
R = Radius of curvature in meters, and
1. When the aeroplane takes a right turn under similar
ωρ= Angular velocity of precession conditions as discussed above, the effect of the reactive
= V/R rad/s couple will be to dip the nose and raise the tail of the
∴ Gyroscopic couple acting on the aeroplane, aeroplane.
C = I.ω.ωρ 2. When the engine or propeller rotates in anticlockwise
direction when viewed from the rear or tail end and the
aeroplane takes a left turn, then the effect of reactive
gyroscopic couple will be to dip the nose and raise the tail of
the aeroplane.
3. When the aeroplane takes a right turn under similar
conditions as mentioned in note 2 above, the effect of
reactive gyroscopic couple will be to raise the nose and dip
the of the aeroplane.
4. When the engine or propeller rotates in clockwise direction
when viewed from the front and the aeroplane takes a left
turn, then the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to
raise the tail and dip the nose of the aeroplane.
5. When the aeroplane takes a right turn under similar
a. b. conditions as mentioned in note4 above, the effect of
Before taking the left turn, the angular momentum vector is
reactive gyroscopic couple will be to raise the nose and dip
represented by ox. When it takes left turn, the active gyroscopic
the tail of the aeroplane.
couple will change the direction of the angular momentum
vector from ox to ox’ as shown in Fig. belowa.. The xx’,in the Terms Used in a Naval Ship
limit, represents the change of angular momentum or the active The top and front views of a naval ship are shown in Fig.below.
gyroscopic couple and is perpendicular to ox. Thus the plane The fore end of the ship is called bow and the rear end is
of active gyroscopic couple XOY will be perpendicular to xx’, known as stern or aft. The left hand and the right hand sides of
i.e. vertical in this case, as shown in Fig. above b., By applying the ship, when viewed from the stern are called port and star
right hand screw rule to vector xx’,we find that the direction of board respectively. We shall now discuss the effect of gyroscopic
active gyroscopic couple is clockwise as shown in front view of couple in the naval ship in the following three cases:
Fig. above a., in other words, for left hand turning, the active
gyroscopic couple on the aeroplane in axis OZ will be clockwise 1. Steering
as shown in Fig above b.. the reactive gyroscopic couple (equal 2. Pitching, and
in magnitude of active gyroscopic couple) will act in the opposite 3. Rolling.
direction (i.e. in the anticlockwise direction) and the effect of

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THEORY OF MACHINES-II

A1. B1
Notes
1. When the ship steers to the right under similar condition as
discussed above, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple,
as shown in Fig. B1, will be to raise the stern and lower the
bow.
2. When the rotor rotates in the anticlockwise direction, when
viewed from the stern and the ship is steering to the left,
then the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to lower
the bow and raise the stern.
3. When the ship is steering to the right under similar
conditions as discussed in note 2 above, then the effect of
Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during reactive gyroscopic couple will be to raise the bow and lower
Steering the stern.
Steering is the turning of a complete ship in a curve towards left 4. When the rotor rotates in the clockwise direction when
or right, while it moves forward, consider the ship taking a left viewed from the bow or fore end and the ship is steering to
turn, and rotor rotates in the clockwise direction when viewed the left, then the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to
from the stern, as shown in Fig. below. The effect of gyroscopic raise the stern and lower the bow.
couple on a naval ship during steering taking left or right turn
5. When the ship is steering to the right under similar
may be obtained in the similar way as for an aeroplane as
conditions as discussed in note 4 above, then the effect of
discussed in Art.
reactive gyroscopic couple will be to raise the bow and lower
When the rotor of the ship rotates in the clockwise direction the stern.
when viewed from the stern, it will have its angular momentum
vector in the direction ox as shown in Fig. A1. As the ship steers 6. The effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple on a boat
to the left, the active gyroscopic couple will change the angular propelled by a turbine taking left or right turn is similar as
momentum vector from ox to ox’. The vector xx’ now discussed above.
represents the active gyroscopic couple and is perpendicular to Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during
ox. Thus the plane of active gyroscopic couple is perpendicular Pitching
to xx’ and its direction in the axis OZ for left hand turn is
Pitching is the movement of a complete ship up and down in a
clockwise as shown in Fig below. the reactive gyroscopic couple
vertical plane about transverse axis, as shown in Fig. below (a).
of the same magnitude will act in the opposite direction (i.e in
In this case, the transverse axis is the axis of precession. The
anticlockwise direction ). The effect of this reactive gyroscopic
couple is to raise the bow and lower the stern. pitching of the ship is assumed to take place with simple
harmonic motion i.e. the motion of the axis of spin about
transverse axis is simple harmonic.

(b)

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∴ Angular displacement of the axis of spin from mean

THEORY OF MACHINES-II
Notes
position after time t seconds,
θ = φ sin ω1.t
Where φ = Amplitude of swing i.e. maximum angle
turned from the mean
Position in radians, and
ω1 = Angular velocity of S.H.M.
2p
= 2 p/tp rad/s
Time period of S.H in seconds
Angular velocity of precession,
ωρ = d θ/ dt = d/ dt (φ sin ω1.t ) = φ.ω1 cos ω1.t
The angular velocity of precession will be maximum, if
cos ω1.t = 1.
∴ Maximum angular velocity of precession,
ωpmax = φ. ω1 = φ ? 2 p /t p
…(Substituting cos ω1.t = 1)
Let
I = Moment of inertia of the rotor in kg-m2,and
ω = Angular velocity of the rotor in rad/s.
∴ Maximum gyroscopic couple, Cmax = I.ω. ωpmax
When the pitching is upward, the effect of the reactive gyro-
scopic couple, as shown in Fig. (b), will try to move the ship
towards star-board. On the other hand, if the pitching is
downward, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple, as
shown in Fig. (c), is to turn the ship towards port side.
Notes
1. The effect of the gyroscopic couple is always given on specific
position of the axis of spin, i.e. whether it is pitching
downwards or upwards.
2. The pitching of a ship produces forces on the bearings which
act horizontally and perpendicular to the motion of the ship.
3. The maximum gyroscopic couple tends to shear the holding-
down bolts.
4. The angular acceleration during pitching,
d 2θ
α= —— = - φ(ω1)2 sin ω1t
dt 2

...…{Differentiating dθ/ dt with respect to t}


The angular acceleration is maximum, if sin ω1t = 1
∴ Maximum angular acceleration during pitching,
αmax = φ(ω1) 2
Effect of Gyroscopic couple on a Naval Ship during
Rolling
We know that, for the effect of gyroscopic couple to occur, the
axis of precession should always be perpendicular to the axis of
spin. If , however, the axis of precession becomes parallel to
the axis of spin, there will be no effect of the gyroscopic couple
acting on the body of the ship.
In case of rolling of a ship, the axis of precession (i.e. longitu-
dinal axis) is always parallel to the axis of spin for all positions.
Hence, there is no effect of the gyroscopic couple acting on the
body of a ship.

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